Kant Kumar, secretary, Hindu Ekta Manch, is a prominent Congress leader. Romi Sharma of the Youth Congress is a vocal supporter of the Manch.
While Rahul Gandhi led a candle-march protest, many people in J&K have started asking questions about the double standards of the Congress in the Kathua case. The state BJP has asked why did Rahul Gandhi and the Congress wake up to the heinous crime so late.
Responding to the tweet of Rahul Gandhi that the case is a crime against humanity, PDP Minister and official spokesman of the state government, Nayeem Akhtar, tweeted back: “Congress fingerprint in the entire episode was always evident. Congress officially supported the pro-rapist bandh”. Nayeem in another tweet said that the official spokesman of the Congress in J&K is on record supporting pro-rapist protests in Jammu.
Jammu Bar president Bupinder Salathia, who is heading the agitation and supporting the Hindu Ekta Manch, was the chief polling agent of Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad in the 2014 elections. When he was asked by the media about his Congress connection, he said that he has a personal relationship with Ghulam Nabi Azad.
In the Hindu Ekta Manch agitation, there are many local Congress leaders in the executive body of the Manch, reports from Jammu said. Kant Kumar, secretary, Hindu Ekta Manch, is a prominent Congress leader and former sarpanch. Similarly, Romi Sharma is also a Youth Congress president and vocal supporter of the manch. When state Congress president Ghulam Ahmed Mir was asked about the involvement of the Congress leaders in a pro-rapist agitation, he said that he has expelled Kant Kumar from the party and didn’t answer about the Congress’ double standards. He evaded questions on why Rahul Gandhi and the Congress remained silent for about three months on the rape and murder case.
Similarly, former Chief Minister of J&K Omar Abdullah is trying to score brownie points against CM Mehbooba and the BJP by tweeting frequently on the case. PDP responded by questioning Omar on whether he has been able to give justice to Shopian rape and murder victims after handing over the case to the CBI.
State Congress president Ghulam Ahmed Mir earlier pressed for the sacking of two BJP ministers over their involvement in the entire episode of Kathua and subsequent polarisation of the Jammu region. Mir had earlier said that he is shocked that Mehbooba Mufti was maintaining silence despite having all information about the “role” of her two Cabinet colleagues in the Kathua case.
Meanwhile, the family of the murdered Kathua rape victim has silently migrated from Rasana village to a safer place in the Kashmir Valley and then finally to Kargil as they have received threats from different quarters. Police sources confirmed their earlier departure from Hira Nagar and said that though they used to migrate during the summer months, this time they have left the place much earlier. Earlier, many of their relatives including the lawyer of the Bakerwal community, who was arrested by the police for being on the forefront of the demand for justice for the victim, told the media that they were all receiving threats and they are seriously thinking of migrating from the place. The lady council for the victim has also allegedly received threats from many Hindu organisations.